Question : GREEN INDIA MISSION

(a) whether the Green India Mission was launched to improve and increase country’s diminishing forest cover;

(b) if so, the details thereof including the funds sanctioned and utilized so far, State-wise;

(c) the present status of the Perspective plans submitted by various States including Kerala for implementation of Green India Mission including the details of activities/interventions to be taken or proposed to be taken by them, State-wise;

(d) whether the Government proposes to bring about any changes in the Green India Mission or take any new initiatives for the purpose; and

(e) if so, the details thereof.

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) Yes, Sir.

(b) The Green India Mission aims at increasing the forest/tree cover by 5 million ha, as well as, increasing the quality of the existing forest cover in another 5 million ha. The Mission proposes a holistic view of greening and focuses not on carbon sequestration targets alone, but on multiple ecosystem services, especially, biodiversity, water, biomass, etc., alongwith carbon sequestration as a co-benefit. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved of the Mission as a centrally sponsored scheme with total outlay of Rs.13,000 crore for the 12th Plan period and spill over of one year. This includes convergence worth Rs.6000 crore from CAMPA, Rs.4000 crore from MGNREGA and Rs.600 crore from National Afforestation Program. The Planning Commission outlay for the scheme is Rs.2000 crore and Rs.400 crore will from 13th Finance Commission. An area of 2.8 million ha is proposed to be covered under the Mission during this period.

Under the preparatory phase of the Mission, funds have been released to the State Governments for undertaking enabling activities for implementation of the Green India Mission. The activities include institutional strengthening, training, identification of landscapes and preparation of Bridge Plan. Details of funds released in the financial years 2011-12 and 2013-14 and utilization of funds released in the financial year 2011-12 is attached at Annexure ‘A’. Funds were released in the financial year 2013-14 to six State Governments in March, 2014 only, for which utilization details are yet to be received.

(c) Based on the allocation released to the States for preparatory phase, the Perspective Plans have been received from Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Punjab and Odisha. The State Governments have prepared the Perspective Plans highlighting interventions under various sub-missions and categories of activities therein, as mentioned in Annexure ‘B’.

(d) & (e) No, Sir.